Computer-based applications generally contain textual data that is presented to a user to allow the user to interact with the applications. The textual data is written in a human language, usually the native language of the country of the developer or a common language, such as English. When the application is destined for use in other countries, typically the textual data is manually translated into the various local languages as part of a process commonly referred to as “localization.” Localization must be performed for each new version of the application. When localization must be repeatedly performed on a suite of interrelated applications, the cost of localizing the applications into many languages can be very high. Additionally, if the applications in the suite are provided by different vendors, the complexity of dealing with multiple file formats increases the costs accordingly.